Burial-vault.



No. 729,262. PATBN'IED MAY 26, 1903.

G. BOLSER.

BURIAL VAULT.

APPLIOATION FILED 11110.17. 1902.

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WITNES ES INVENTOI? T m wows Pumas cu, wsvwjn cv No. 729,262. PATENTED MAY 26, 1903.

G. BOLSER.

BURIAL VAULT.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 17. 1902.

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A TTOHNE)" F0. 729,262. I PATENTED MAY 26, 1903.

' G. BOLSER.

BURIAL VAULT.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 17. 1902.

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Patented May 26, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

GILBERT BOLSER, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

BU RlAL-VAULT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 729,262, dated May 26, 1903.

Application filed December 17, 1902. Serial No. 135,551. (No model.)

To all whom it. may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT BOLSER, of In dianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, haveinvented a certain new and useful Burial-Vault; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like figures refer to like parts.

The object of this invention is to make a cement burial-vault of sections convenient to handle and which may be readily united and when unit-ed will make a solid and substantial vault.

The nature of this invention will be understood from the following description and the claims and drawings accompanying the same.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of the burial-vault. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof with the lids removed. Fig. 3 is an inside elevation of one end piece. Fig. 4. is a trans verse section of the vault between its ends. Fig. 5 is a bottom View of the lids when locked together. Fig. 6is a side elevation of a top sidesection. Fig. 7 is a perspective of a portion of the same. Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the lid and e'nd piece and one of the fasteners for holding therlid down, parts being broken away. Fig. 9 is a section of a part of the lid on the line 9 9 of Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is a plan View of oneeud of a side section. Fig. 11 is a plan of the vault after it is placedin a grave and is sealed with cement. Fig. 12 is a. central vertical transverse section of an end piece locking inward and showing the metal frame therein. Fig. 13 is a plan of one corner'of the vault with the lids removed, showing the vault after it has been placed in the grave and the grooves filled and the interior covered with cement ready for the casket. Fig. 14 is a horizontal section of what is shown in Fig. 3 below the top thereof.

The vault herein shown as embodying my invention has two similar end pieces 10, formed of cement, with a metal frame 13 embedded therein. The sides and bottom are rectangular, and the top is curved to conform to the lid. It is provided with the groove 11 to receive the ends of the sections or slabs which form the sides and bottom of the vault. This groove is curved from one side of the vault to the other across the bottom, as appears in Fig. 3. The groove leaves an in- 'ward extension 12,-the top of which forms a ledge to support the lid-sections. There is a strip of the metal frame 13 over the extension 12, as shown in Figs. 3 and 8. There is also a narrow groove 14 extending from the groove 11 outwardly and at a right angle thereto, as appearsin Figs. 2, 13, and 14., and by the dotted lines in Fig. 3. A strip of the metal frame lines said groove 14 on one of its sides. A metal stop 15 is placed in the groove 11, midway between its ends. It has an inwardly-extending lip, the purpose of it being to stop the sections that are slipped into the groove 11.

The sides and bottom may be formed of any number of sections desired. The sections 16, which are below the top sections 18, are formed of cement, with a metal strip 17 lining the bottom and top edges, the same as the top sections 18. (Shown in Figs. 6 and 7.) All of the sections have metal plates 19 on their ends, which extend laterally to form a lip to enter the groovel t and hold the ends and side sections from longitudinal movement. There is a metal frame for each side section, consisting of the strips 17 and 19 united and cross-bars 35, extending through the cement to unite it to the sections.

The metal strip 17, on one side of each section, is provided with the lugs 20 to enter corresponding holes 21in the metal strip of the adjacent section, whereby the sections will interloclnwhen placed together, as shown in Fig. 4:. The top sections have a ledge lined. with the metal strip 23 like the strip 17 and similarly provided with holes. This ledge receives the side edges of the lid-sections 24..

and 25. These lid-sections have a metal plate 17 along their side edges with pins 20, the same as the other sections and for the same purpose, and from it strips extend into the cement, as seen in Fig. 9. The adjacent edges of the two lid-sections overlap each other.

The vaultis assembled as follows: The end pieces 10 are put in place and also the middle bottom piece 30, if the latter be needed. Then one of the side sections 16 is put in place by inserting its two ends in the grooves 11 in the end pieces and pushing the same down into said grooves until it is stopped by the stops 15 in the two end pieces. The remaining sections on the same side of the vault are slipped into place in the same way. The sections on the other side of the vault are similarly put in place. This will hold the parts of the vault together by reason of the lips 19 entering the grooves 1-1: in the end pieces and also by reason of the interlocking of the lugs 20 and the holes2lof the metal stripslining the sections. Then the parts as thus placed are covered with a coating of liquid cement 38 to fill the grooves 11 and 14, as well as whatever spaces there may be between the sections. The vault is then ready to receive the casket, which rests upon the metallic casket-supports 31, secured near the ends of two of the sections, as shown in Fig. 4. There are two of those supports on each side of the center of the vault and two at each end of the vault-four in allas appears in Fig. 2. Then the lid-section 24 is lowered in place by leather straps or the like through staples 32 in each end of the lid-sections. After that the lid-section 25 is similarly lowered into place, the lateral edges of the lid-sections overlapping each other. The lids are locked by turning the bolt 33, which extend through plate 41, to be seen in Fig. 8, at each end of the lid-section 25, which causes the catches 34 (seen in Fig. 5) to enter the notches 36 (seen in Fig. 3) in the end pieces under the metal strips 13. This holds the lid secure, and after being placed thus they are likewise covered with liquid cement, which fills the holes 32 and also where the lockingbolts 33 are placed, as well as the various joints, and renders the Whole air and water tight, as well as renders the contents of the vault inaccessible.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A cement burial-vault including end pieces, longitudinal sections between the end pieces arranged in a curve in cross-section, and means for uniting the ends of the sections to the end pieces so that the sections can he slipped into place one after the other.

2. A burial vault including end pieces made of cement with a groove in the inner faces of the end pieces which conforms to the shape of the vault in cross-section, longitudinal sections extending between the end pieces, and means on the ends of the sections for entering the grooves in the end pieces and uniting the sections with the end pieces.

3. Acement burial-vault having end pieces provided in their inner faces with a groove that curves downward from one side to the other of the vault, said groove having a narrow lateral extension outwardly about it, longitudinal sections extending between the end pieces whose ends are adapted to enter the main body of said groove, and lips extending from the ends of said sections for entering said narrow extension from said groove to unite said sections with the end pieces.

4:. A cement burial-vault having end pieces with a groove in the inner face of each end piece that curves downwardly from one side to the other of the vault, a stop in said groove midway between the ends thereof, and longitudinal sections whose ends are adapted to enter said groove and be united with said end pieces.

5. In a cement burial-vault suitable end pieces, longitudinal sections formed of coment, a metal lining along the edge of said sections, and means for uniting the sections with the end pieces.

6. A cement burial-vault having suitable end pieces, longitudinal sections extending between the end pieces, metal strips lining the edges of said sections, the metal strip on one side of each section having lugs extending from it, and the metal strip on the opposite side having holes in it, whereby the adjacent sections may beinterlocked,and means for securing the sections to the end'pieces.

7. A cement burial-vault having a ledge along the sides and ends thereof, a lid formed of longitudinal sections, the adjacent edges of the lids and sides of the vault being metallined and provided with interlocking pins and holes, and means for externally locking the overlapping section of the lid to the end pieces.

8. A cement burial-vault provided with a ledge on each side and the end pieces to receive the lid, a lid formed of two longitudinal sections, one overlapping the other at their adjacent edges, means for uniting the side edges of the lid-sections to the sides of the vault, a groove in the end pieces near the lid, and a rotary catch mounted in the overlapping lid-section near each end that may be externally operated to engage said notches in the end pieces.

In witness whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature in the presence of the witnesses herein named.

GILBERT BOLSER. Witnesses:

V. H. LOCKWOOD, NELLIE ALLEMONY. 

